Fergana Valley – Complete Guide

The Fergana Valley is the part of Uzbekistan that feels least like the desert postcards of Bukhara and Khiva. It is a wide, fertile basin of orchards, cotton and mulberry trees, enclosed by mountain ranges, with towns that live from crafts and trade rather than from tourism. This guide is for travellers planning a first visit: which towns to see, how to get there from Tashkent, and when the valley is at its best.

Key facts

• Where: eastern Uzbekistan; the valley is shared by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and the Uzbek part includes the Fergana, Andijan and Namangan regions.
• Main stops for visitors: Kokand, Rishtan, Fergana city and Margilan.
• Getting there: by train from Tashkent through the Kamchik tunnel, or by car over the Kamchik Pass (about 4 hours, tour data).
• Time needed: 2 days for the classic circuit; more if you want to add Andijan, Namangan or the mountains.
• When to go: spring and autumn are the most comfortable; summer is hot.
• Good for: travellers interested in crafts, bazaars and everyday life; second-time visitors to Uzbekistan.
• Prices: depend on group size and season — see the Fergana Valley tour or contact us.

The valley in brief

The Fergana Valley is a lowland basin surrounded by the Tian Shan in the north and the Gissar-Alay ranges in the south. Rivers from those mountains, joining to form the Syr Darya, have made it one of the most fertile and most densely populated regions of Central Asia for thousands of years. For travellers this means a different landscape — green fields, poplar-lined roads, busy bazaars — and towns that are close to each other, so you can see several in a day.

The main towns

Kokand

Kokand was the capital of the Kokand Khanate, which ruled much of the valley in the 18th and 19th centuries until the Russian conquest. Its showpiece is the palace of Khudoyar Khan, completed in 1871, with tiled facades and courtyards. Close by are the Jami Mosque, with its long columned aivan, and the Norbut-biy madrasah. Kokand is usually the first stop when you arrive from Tashkent.

Rishtan

A small town between Kokand and Fergana, Rishtan is Uzbekistan's most famous centre of ceramics. Local red clay and a traditional plant-ash glaze give its bowls and plates their blue and turquoise colours. A visit means a master's workshop: you watch the potter's wheel, the painting and the finished collection. Our post on Fergana Valley crafts tells the story of Rishtan's pottery in more detail.

Fergana city

The regional capital is a practical base, with hotels and green parks; the park named after the medieval astronomer Ahmad al-Fergani is a pleasant place for a morning walk. Most valley tours spend the night here.

Margilan

A few kilometres from Fergana, Margilan is the valley's silk town. The Said Akhmad-Khoja madrasah houses craft workshops, the Yodgorlik silk factory shows how silk is made by hand, and on Thursdays and Sundays the Kumtepa bazaar on the edge of town is the largest market in the valley.

Getting there from Tashkent

By train

Since 2016 a railway line from Angren to Pap has linked the valley directly with Tashkent. Its centrepiece is the Kamchik tunnel, about 19 km long, under the Kamchik Pass. Trains run from Tashkent to Kokand and on to other towns in the valley; on our tour the morning train arrives in Kokand around midday. Check current times and buy tickets on the official site, eticket.railway.uz.

By road

The road crosses the mountains over the Kamchik Pass and takes about four hours by car to the first towns of the valley. It is a scenic drive, and the only option if no train tickets are available; on the way back from Margilan to Tashkent our tours travel by road.

When to go

Spring brings blossom in the orchards and mild temperatures; autumn is harvest time, with fruit in the bazaars and comfortable days for walking. Summer is hot in the valley floor, so plan sightseeing for the morning and late afternoon. In winter, check the mountain weather before driving over the pass; the train avoids it by going through the tunnel.

How many days?

Two days are enough for the classic circuit: Kokand and Rishtan on the first day, Fergana and Margilan on the second, with a night in Fergana. With a third day you can slow down, spend longer in the workshops or add Andijan or Namangan. A Fergana trip combines well with a few days in Tashkent before or after.

Practical tips

• Book train seats as early as possible.
• Time your visit to Margilan for a Thursday or Sunday if you want to see the Kumtepa bazaar.
• Bring cash in local currency for workshops and bazaars.
• Dress modestly, especially for mosques and madrasahs.
• Ask before photographing people at the bazaars and in the workshops.
• The valley borders Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan; keep your passport with you.

Plan it with TravelBliss

We arrange the 2-day Fergana Valley tour from Tashkent: the train to Kokand (or a car with driver over the Kamchik Pass), a guide and driver in the valley, the hotel night in Fergana and the drive back to Tashkent. For ideas in the capital before or after, see our Tashkent destination page. Prices depend on the number of travellers and the season — see the tour page or contact us.